1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shoe having a sole filler provided in part by an insole and a method of making the shoe.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of footwear, it is known to mold soles of rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane or other elastomers either directly to the shoe upper or to a welt which has been stitched to the shoe upper. Typical examples of such prior art are set forth in the patents of Auberry et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,965,517 and 3,758,903. While footwear of the type set forth in the above mentioned prior art operates in satisfactory manner for the purposes intended, when a rigid sole is required, the sole tends to be heavy, relatively hard and does not provide good thermal insulation. On the other hand, when rigidity is not required and properties other than those inherent in rigid soles are desired, foamed soles have been utilized. British Patent No. 1,444,091 discloses a shoe having a sole with cavities at the heel and ball regions with insertion of a resilient cushioning material therein at the ball region only. This patent requires multiple inserts which are separately insertable and discontinuous, thereby requiring added labor cost and failing to provide maximum thermal insulation. However, the prior art has not provided the combination of sole rigidity with sole softness or cushioning, light weight and good thermal insulation properties all in a single shoe.